Hey Ram Owners:

I have an 04 Ram, 5.7 Hemi, 2WD. I have vibration and all signs point to driveshaft as far as my research on here. There is very little play at the differential. There IS play where the driveshaft enters the transmission extension housing (not where the U-joint is). My question is should there be?

The other issue is a chirp/squeak coming from the rear of the driveshaft by the differential. I cant absolutely be sure the chirp/squeak is coming from where the driveshaft enters the differential or not, but i am assuming it is the bearing inside the differential. So my questions are this:

Should there be play where the driveshaft enters the extension housing?
Is there a bearing inside the differential that the driveshaft slips into?
Does anyone have a link for a diagram of our differentials?
Can you buy/replace the extension housing?

I have already changed the front hub/bearing assemblies. I have also had new tires put on. I am sure the vibration is not coming from there. The chirp/squeak speeds up as I go faster and the vibration comes in around 5-55MPH. I am pretty sure it has something to do with the driveline.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Coop

 

If it has play there your tailshaft housing bearing may be going.

 

Thanks HemiLoneStar. So i just found out there may be a bearing in the Extension Housing. I did a search for transmission extension housing and came across:

Automatic Transmission Extension Housing Bearing at the following link:
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...3691&ppt=C0070

Could this be what you are talking about?

I don't want to put new U-Joints on and a new bearing in the differential until I am sure there should be no play or i have fixed the play so that i dont damage the other stuff i put on. Your advice may have confirmed my suspicion that there should not be any play there and i need to address that issue.

 

There should not be play front or rear if you have either you have ujoints bad at the very least if not also rear trans bearing and or rear pinion bearings going bad..

 

There is a known flaw with the drive shaft on many Rams that causes a vibration, especially when accelerating from a stop with the steering wheel truned. I have had this vibration in three different QC Ram Hemis including my current one. I even had the u-joints replaced in one and it did not cure it. If you do end up curing it, please keep us posted.

 

Thanks guys.

IamFrank, this vibration idoesnt seem to be any worse when the steering wheel is turned or anything or related. It definitely feels like it is driveshaft related or drive line related, not necessarily just the driveshaft. my weights are there.

The U-joints dont have any play, but there is play at the front where the drive shaft enters the transmission extension housing. There is enough play there that would cause me to believe that if the driveshaft was spinning at a high speed it would cause the vibration.

My plan this weekend is to see if I can get into the extension housing without dropping teh whole tranny. If i can, i will see if there is a bearing in there that looks like what is in the link that i posted above. If so, hopefully i can find one here local and change it. I hope this will cure the vibration.

I also want to open the differential and see whats in there. I saw a bearing on Autozone's website that said something about going in the differential. If there is one in there, i want to change that and see if that cures the chrip/squeak.

Even though I dont have play in the U-joints and I greased them last weekend trying to eliminate things, i will probably change those also just to be sure.

I will post back soon and let you guys know how it goes. Thanks for answering the question on whether there should be any play at all. This way i KNOW there is something wrong.

If any of you know where i can get a diagram of the tranny (mainly the extension housing) and the differential, that would be great. My Haynes manual doesnt seem to have diagrams or info on those. I only found basic info on removing the driveshaft and replacing the extension housing seal.

 

The play from trans housing is Normal//

 

SOme play in the transmission tailshaft bushing is normal. You can buy the national seal that comes with the bushing from autozone for $20, take your driveshaft off (mark it at the pinion flange first) and slip the new bushing on the slip yoke of the driveshaft to compare. You might be surprised at how sloppy even a new one is. I thought my vibes were that too, and removed the tail housing and replaced the bushing with no change. It's not easy to get the old one out...

You might consider blocking the vehicle well, setting the axle on jack stands and winding it up where it vibrates, setting the cruise and very carefully peering at things. I did this after months of agonizing vibration and found that the problem was at the other end, the pinion shaft of the differential.

 

u joints will squeek when they start to go bad. They can be bad with no play.

 

So i got under the truck this weekend and set it on the jackstands. I couldnt get the cruise control to work in this position, but i did get it up to about 50 and it stayed going at about 40. The squeak sounded a whole lot different that way. Anyway, i took the driveshaft off and looked at everything and to make a long story short....U-Joint at the front where it goes into the extension housing. The joint moved from side to side, but not up and down as there were no splines left in the thing. It was burnt to hell. I couldnt tell that until i go the drive shaft off, as there was no play in it like stated above. I appreciate all the help guys.

So, vibration gone...chirp/squeak gone. Everything else looked pretty good. I replace the extension housing oil seal also. Damaged it taking it out to look at the bearing inside the extension housing.

Anyway, i think i was trying to make it more complicated than it was without taking the driveshaft off and looking at the most common problem. KISS (keep it simple stupid...lol). Its all good though. Thanks again!